The Lord's People  -- The Church   
 

by Lowell Blasingame

Vine defines "ekklesia" "from ek, out of and klesis, a calling (kaleo, to call)," (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 1, pg. 83). This is the word which is commonly rendered "church" in our English versions of the New Testament where it occurs 115 times. Once it is used of Israel (Ac. 7:38), which had been "called out" of Egypt and, at the time, was in the wilderness making her way to the land which had been promised to her as an inheritance. Three times the word is translated "assembly," once of the group called out by Demetrius, the silversmith (Ac. 19:32) and twice of an assembly convened by the town clerk (Ac. 19:39, 41). This leaves 111 times that it occurs either in its singular or plural form of the Lord's people and we should be impressed by the Holy Spirit's giving us so much information about the Lord's "ekklesia."

While the word identifies us as His called out, this word doesn't tell us how or by what we are called. People have strange ideas about how the Lord calls people. Some recite strange or unusual experiences which they have had which they interpret to mean is a call from the Lord. Usually, this will be an emotional sensation which they haven't experienced before. Or it may be something strange which they hear or see and they interpret this to be a call from the Lord. Since the Lord isn't a respecter of persons (Ac. 11:34-35) and isn't willing that any perish (2 Pet. 3:9) but wishes that all come to repentance, it would appear that He would call all in the same way.

The Scriptures teach us how the Lord calls us. Paul said, "Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 2:14) and "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present life" (Tit 2:11-12). So the medium through which God calls is the gospel, which is "the word of His grace" (Ac. 20:32) and the gospel is to be taught to all nations or every creature (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:15). Without exception, each case of conversion related in the book of Acts has persons first being taught.

Ekklesia identifies us as the Lord's "called out" but the word doesn't tell us "out" of what or "into" what we are called. But the Scriptures do. They tell us that sin severs our spiritual relationship with God making us "dead in trespasses and sins"
(Eph. 2:1) and, by such, we become "servants of sin" (Rom. 6:17) and need to be "delivered from the power of darkness" (Col. 1:13).  It is by our obedience to the gospel or response to God's call that we are delivered from the power of darkness and "translated into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:13), or "Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:18). The consummating act of obedience to this form of doctrine is obedience to the command to be baptized. In this act, we enter Christ (Gal. 3:27), where we become "new creatures" (2 Cor. 5:17) and we are buried and raised "to walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3-4). So, we are called out of an old relationship of alienation from God into one in which our union with Him is restored.

Ekklesia tells us that we are called out but not the reason or why we are called out. But the Scriptures tell us this also. "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col. 1:13) and that "ye should show forth the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). This ought to motivate one to respond to the call of the gospel and thereafter to live faithfully for the Lord. Think how wonderful it will be to hear Him say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). This will come only to those who respond to the call of the gospel.

 

Other Articles by Lowell Blasingame

Is God Powerless Today?
Is the Restoration Plea Valid?
Growing Up
Baptism Isn't For!
Cross-Centered Preaching
"By What Authority"
Rejecting the Reins
Are All Churches of Christ Alike?